About Zambia
Richly blessed with copper, flowers, tobacco, and cotton, Zambia, a landlocked country with the capital city of Lusaka gained her independence in 1964, this peaceful country is known as the second-largest copper producer in Africa. If you plan to explore its beauty, don’t forget to go through this Zambia visa application process to ensure a smooth entry.
Earlier known as Northern Rhodesia, Zambia derived her name from the Zambezi river which flows along the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe. This nation has a border with 8 countries: Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Angola, Malawi, Congo, Namibia, and Mozambique.
With a population of about 17.4 million people living in the country as of 2020 and a total area of 752, 618 km², it’s said that this country is enriched with attractive natural beauty such as spacious area, waterfall, plateau savanna, lots of wildlife habitat, hills and mountains.
Get to know additional info about the background, culture, government, environment, business, and people at Wikipedia.
Why Visit Zambia?
Unarguably, this country is always on the bucket list of destinations many international travelers plan to visit.
Zambia is home to numerous uncommon and endangered animals such as the Big Five game animals: elephants, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, and lions. As a tourist, you can explore a wide range of activities such as water rafting, horse riding, riverboarding, canoeing, Quad bike riding, and boat cruising on the Zambezi River.
Victoria Falls
Among the largest waterfall on Earth, it is shared between two countries: Zambia to the north and Zimbabwe to the South.
It’s customarily referred to as Mosi-oa-Tunya meaning “The Smoke that thunders” due to the fact that the noise can even be heard from as far as 40 km/ 25 miles away.
Returning to history, it was named after the Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom by Dr. David Livingstone. Recorded as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Victoria Fall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that drives a lot of traffic from visitors.
As a tourist, the Devil’s swimming pool is a superb destination to visit, situated at the edge of Victoria Fall, it’s only accessible when the water current is low (August to January).
Lake Kamba
Wonderfully referred to as a man-made lake, that alone makes the lake worth visiting! It’s used to export electric hydropower to Zimbabwe and also utilized for commercial fishing, all these are used to sustain the life of the country.
What Is a Zambia Visa?
A permit that is issued to people to allow entry into the country for a specific purpose, which could be for business, tourism, visitation, volunteering service, transit, or church-related activities. The Zambia visa application is the formal process through which individuals can obtain the necessary authorization for their intended stay.
The Appropriate Time to Apply for Your Zambia Visa
It’s always advisable to process your visa four or five business days before your travel date. The Embassy of Zambia opens from Monday to Thursday from 9 am—5 pm and on Friday from 9 am—2 pm.
However, the embassy stays shut during the holiday period.
Nonetheless, you can apply for your visa with quicker assistance but an extra charge will be incurred. To be able to process it on the same day, an extra charge of $50.00 will be incurred. While processing your application for the next day, will cost $40.00.
Zambia Visa Class
It is advisable to verify whether you need a visa or not if you are planning on visiting other countries.
Compared to other countries, Zambia’s visa policy is not strict. Based on nationality, it has three classes of countries that are allowed into the country. If you fall under the category requiring a visa, it’s advisable to initiate the Zambia visa application process in a timely manner to ensure a smooth entry into the nation.
VISA-FREE CLASS:
Botswana citizens and a total of 43 nations do not need a visa to enter Zambia.
They are authorized to stay in the country for a period of no longer than 90 days (1 – 3 months) within a year duration for tourism and 30 days for business-related activities. But if you plan on staying longer than 90 or 30 days, at that point, it will be crucial to apply for a visa.
Visa Class
Visitors from this category should apply for a visa prior to traveling or on arrival.
However, this category gives exceptional treatment to citizens who hold a passport issued by some territories.
To find out whether your nation requires a visa or not to visit Botswana, you can check the iV checker tool, and for those planning Zambia visa applications, a similar approach can be followed to ensure a seamless travel experience.
Kinds of Zambia Visa
1) ONE ENTRY: It costs 50 US dollars and it’s significant for 90 days as it permits you to enter Zambia just one time. Once you have utilized it for an entry and exit, you cannot use it again.
2) DOUBLE ENTRY VISA: It costs 80 US dollars and it’s also substantial for three (3) months, it permits you to enter Zambia twice during the official visa period.
3) MULTIPLE ENTRY: Unlike the one or double entry visa, this gives you the authorization to enter Zambia more than twice. Over the years, the price has been increased from 80 US dollars to 150 US dollars per person.
However, the Multiple-entry Visa issued to the citizens of the United States of America have a validity period of three (3) years.
4) KAZA UNIVISA: In 2014, Zimbabwe and Zambia introduced the Kaza Univisa. It costs 50 US dollars and is only valid for 30 days as it allows tourists to visit Zambia and Zimbabwe multiple times.
It also covers a visit to Botswana and Choba National Park, Tanzania.
Prerequisites for Zambia Visa Application
Prior to booking a visa, you must first check the mandatory travel documents that you will need to submit.
However, those documents vary depending on the purpose of the trip, the documents that will be necessary are:
- An international passport with a half year of legitimacy that has at least 2 unused pages.
- Provide a bank statement indicating that you have adequate funds/assets for your stay.
- An international Health certificate. In countries where yellow fever is prevalent, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is important.
- A proof of return ticket to depart Zambia after your trip.
- Proof of accommodation arrangement, hotel bookings, or private location in Botswana.
- Covering letter indicating the reason for your visitation.
- Two current colored passports-sized photos.
- Schedule: If coming to attend seminars, tour, or a meeting then a copy meeting or travel schedule is important.
- A recent digital passport-sized photo that shows your full face.
- If you’ve been invited by someone, then a cover letter from the host/sponsor in Zambia is crucial.
How to Apply for Zambia Visa
There are various techniques for applying, it could be through:
1) ZAMBIA EMBASSY: Contact the nearest Zambia embassy or consultancy service while abroad to get your Visa.
2) E-VISA: The Electronic-Visa has fastened the visa application process, making it more efficient and convenient for travelers. If you’re considering a Zambia visa application, the electronic option streamlines the procedure, offering a quicker and more accessible way to obtain the necessary travel authorization.
It wipes out the pressing factor of waiting on long queues or going to an embassy to obtain a visa. With the accessibility of the internet, phone, or laptop and the necessary documents, such as the Zambia visa application, you can get yours without stress. The e-Visa is valid for only 90 days after its release. Inability to enter Zambia within the approved period (90 days), your approved letter will be invalid. Thus, you will be required to re-apply.
Steps Needed to Process Your eVisa Application Includes;
1) Completing the online application form: This involves cautiously filling in the details that are necessary for your application form. Firstly, you need to register a user account. To do that, visit gov.zm website, click on New Application to generate your profile.
2) Once you have completed filling the application form with your details, prior to submitting the application, you will be required to pay the Zambia eVisa fee.
The eVisa will be sent to the email you provided on the form, or you can track the status of the application via your profile through the eService portal.
3) Lastly, download and print a duplicate of the approved visa to carry with you when going to Zambia.
Coronavirus Travel Guidelines
On January 20th, 2021, Zambia confirmed about 39, 515 cases, 578 deaths and 28, 066 recovered cases of COVID-19. Due to the drastic effect of COVID-19 on the economy, the public authority has taken adequate measures to tackle this pandemic.
The guidelines for those visiting includes:
1) Forwarding a negative COVID-19 test result within seven days before departing to Zambia.
2) As a Traveler you will be requested to present a Health or Medical declaration before traveling.
3) Health screening procedures such as :
- Washing your hands frequently
- Using a hand sanitizer
- Wearing of face mask is mandatory at all times in public
All these procedures and many more are in place at the airports and other ports of entry.